Khal Stephen continues to impress in latest single-A start, case for high-A promotion intensifying

Stephen, the organization’s No. 1o prospect per MLB Pipeline, has now tossed five frames or more in all four starts this season, pitching into the sixth during a nine-strikeout performance on April 10 — marking just his second career start.

Following his latest outing, the young right-hander owns a 1.29 ERA through 21 innings of work, striking out 25 — 10 via his four-seamer — and walking only two in that span. Of the three earned runs he’s allowed thus far, only one has been produced by a home run, a solo shot in his Apr. 10 outing.

Expectations were set fairly high for Stephen entering this season, especially after the organization announced he’d be starting his journey into pro ball at single-A. Many expected him to overpower hitters in their early 20s, and that’s precisely what he’s done. Even so, the level of dominance he’s showcased across four starts has likely exceeded his early-season expectations.

Opposing hitters have barely been able to make contact against his stuff. Take his four-seamer, for example, which is his primary pitch. He throws it just over half the time and primarily locates it in the upper quadrant of the strike zone to maximize its high-rising movement, leading to a swing and miss in well over a third of the swings against it.

But Stephen also features two other pitches that boast a whiff rate of over 30 per cent — his slider and changeup. As for the other half of his six-pitch arsenal, he’s occasionally mixed in his curveball, cutter and sinker. However, all three are more show-me pitches at this stage of his development, offerings that help prevent hitters from sitting on his primary weapons.

At this point, there likely isn’t much more Stephen can prove at this level. And, quite frankly, he doesn’t need to. Starting the 2025 season in Dunedin always seemed more of a temporary home until warmer weather conditions arrived in Vancouver — a sentiment that also likely applies to fellow top prospect Trey Yesavage, the Blue Jays’ first-round pick from a year ago.

Both hurlers are likely not far away from advancing to high-A. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if those promotions were announced sometime next month. They’re ready to be tested at the next level.

Once Stephen and Yesavage arrive, the Canadians will become quite the hot spot for highly-touted Blue Jays prospects, considering that mix already includes Arjun Nimmala, Kendry Rojas, Fernando Perez, Juaron Watts-Brown, Adrian Pinto, Victor Arias and Cutter Coffey.

It also includes many ’24 draftees not named Stephen or Yesavage, such as Sean Keys, Aaron Parker, Carter Cunningham, Eddie Micheletti Jr. and Jackson Wentworth.